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If you love criminalistics and want to pursue a career in this industry, now’s the best time to prepare for it! An online Bachelor’s in Forensic Science involves solving legal matters using scientific and science-backed methods. For many, this field is fascinating, and the advent of technology and innovation continues to develop this practice.
In Forensic Science, physical evidence is recognized, identified, and evaluated using a variety of scientific branches. Criminal investigations require forensic scientists to provide evidence to solve cases. A Forensic Science degree program will teach you key skills, procedures, and techniques for this profession.
A bachelor’s degree is not a requirement for Forensic Science professionals. However, many modern employers would compare applicants based on their educational attainment and experiences. It is not possible to succeed in forensics with just a two-year associate’s degree or even on the job, as the skills you learn are highly technical and specialized. Forensics programs on campus have some advantages, but online forensics degrees are becoming increasingly popular.
The Lowdown
An online bachelor’s degree in Forensic Science program introduces students to the world of evidence-based investigations. In this degree, digital and physical crimes are studied in depth, along with the criminal justice system and those involved. Certain components of the Bachelor of Legal Studies and Forensic Psychology may also be part of your undergraduate education. In all these, students develop skills such as computer, mathematics, time management, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
Methodology
Looking to pursue Forensic Science? The importance of choosing the best program cannot be overstated! For your convenience, we put together some of the country’s best online Bachelor’s in in Forensic Science—each of which meets these criteria:
- Can be taken in an online or a hybrid format, underscoring learning convenience,
- Features the fundamentals of Forensic Science, while placing a strong emphasis on students’ ability to reason and communicate, solve problems, write well, and think critically,
- Produces graduates who are well-versed in the fundamentals of Forensic Science, qualifying them for entry-level jobs or a master’s program should they decide to further their education,
- Forensic professionals, forensic investigators, and experienced academics teach the courses,
- Offers financial aid, including grants, scholarships, and perks for active duty military and veterans,
- Holds accreditation from organizations and institutions that evaluate the standards and quality of academic work in the field of Forensic Science.
For more information on our ranking, visit our Methodology page.
The Best Online Colleges with Online Degrees in Forensic Science
American Intercontinental University
Online Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science
This Bachelor of Forensic Science program is available at American Intercontinental University. This offers a well-rounded education that goes beyond general education and covers topics like English writing, academic and professional achievement, information literacy, interpersonal communication, digital literacy, and more. With a concentration in forensic science, you can get a thorough understanding of the criminal justice system, constitutional concepts, and crime theory.
The flexibility to earn your degree on your own schedule is offered by their forensics online courses. Mobile-friendly coursework helps students learn and keep the good old school-life balance. Expect to go through a capstone project when you reach your senior year. As a student in AIU’s online forensic science degree program, you will gain real-world experience and be taught by experienced instructors who stay current with current events and policies.
What Makes this Program Unique:
Interested students can pursue an online forensic science degree at AIU without any prerequisites. A dedicated admission staff can assist with all your admissions and financial aid questions. They are there to provide assistance from start to finish. You can ask regarding transfer credits and tuition discounts. Another best feature of the program is that it allows you to transfer 75% of your credits.
Did You Know?
After graduating with this forensic science degree, you should be well-versed in corrections, forensic science, juvenile justice, law enforcement, police work, and criminal justice. With a degree in forensic science, you’ll be able to create and lift fingerprints, analyze and evaluate evidence from crime scenes, and write investigative reports.
Arizona State University
Online Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science
The Online Forensic Science Bachelor’s Degree at Arizona State University requires a two weeks on-campus class, that allows you to get hands-on experience learning lab skills from experts in the field. The experience will involve analyzing DNA evidence and investigating mock crime scenes. Using the latest science and technology, Arizona State University’s forensic science degree prepares you to solve crimes. Investigating crimes and learning professional forensic science techniques will be part of the course. As a result, you will be prepared for jobs in crime labs.
Earning a degree in forensic science will teach you how to find and examine evidence that can be presented in court during criminal or civil proceedings. Building a solid foundation in biology, chemistry, and mathematics is the first step in the program.
Your lab science program requires you to perform two organic chemistry labs in person. These laboratories are presented in an expedited style over the summer at the ASU Tempe campus. Additionally, credits from a nearby college may be transferred to these lab courses.
What Makes this Program Unique:
You will study forensic science from a transdisciplinary standpoint in this online degree program. You will also develop and brush up on your arithmetic, communication, and natural science skills in addition to forensic science. You’ll be ready to find crucial information, provide knowledgeable testimony, and properly communicate your conclusions. Applying scientific concepts to legal challenges is its main objective.
A Forensic Science degree will teach you about the investigative and scientific techniques used to interpret crime scenes and analyze evidence. Thanks to the precise analytical abilities you will learn, you can pursue professions in forensic investigations after earning this degree.
Did You Know?
- You may transfer up to 64 semester hours from a community, junior, or two-year college that has received regional accreditation. An ASU academic advisor will apply your transferred credits toward your desired major once you have been accepted.
- No matter where you live, the price per credit hour is the same. It is also crucial to understand that Arizona residents who enroll in online programs do not pay a higher tuition rate than those who take classes on campus.
Columbia College
Online Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science
Columbia College offers an Online Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science degree program recognized throughout the Midwest. In order to prepare you for a successful career in this fascinating and rapidly expanding sector, the program blends biology, chemistry, law, criminal justice, and criminal justice. Students obtain knowledge and practical experience in this reputable, multidisciplinary curriculum that prepares them for careers in crime labs and related sectors.
As part of their training, Columbia College forensic science students get the chance to collaborate with neighborhood police stations on actual unsolved murder cases. Students can find courses in these and other specialties with the help of academic counselors. The total number of credits to take in this program is 120.
What Makes this Program Unique:
Finally, graduates of Columbia College’s online Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science will be adept in gathering and examining forensic evidence and samples. You will learn to be methodical and thorough when conducting an investigation, from gathering evidence at the crime scene to doing laboratory analyses to compiling your findings.
Did You Know?
For no additional cost, Columbia College can transfers credits as long as the school has been accredited. You can transfer college-level coursework to Columbia College with the help of the Transfer Equivalency Guide. The Office of the Registrar establishes official equivalents as part of the review procedure. Even though they are not on the list, regionally accredited universities’ transfer credits will still be accepted.
University of New Haven
Online Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science
The University of New Haven in Connecticut offers an Online Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science that prepares students to collect evidence in civil and criminal cases. After graduation, you will be qualified to evaluate evidence because they attend one of the top forensic science programs in the nation. You can learn how to use science and technology to acquire evidence that can be used in court and have an impact on a case by majoring in forensic science at the University of New Haven.
You can hone your observational skills and learn to recognize and analyze this type of evidence with the aid of a curriculum that has the enthusiastic endorsement of the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission. Working crime scene labs and cutting-edge visual exhibits are located there and are a resource for law enforcement departments all around the world. It was given that detective’s illustrious name.
What Makes this Program Unique:
In a special way, the University of New Haven will prepare you for success. In the past three years, nearly 91% of forensic science graduates from the University of New Haven have gone on to find employment, improve their education, join the military, or volunteer.
Did You Know?
There are no better forensic science colleges than the University of New Haven’s program. The program prepares students for careers in local or federal crime scene investigation. Both in-person and online courses are available, although some labs require professional observation and fieldwork.
Trine University
Online Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science
The Bachelor of Science with a major in Forensic Science degree at Trine University is scientifically based and prepares you for a career in forensic science. If you love science and crime studies, this program is ideal for you.
Some of the courses you’ll take in this online forensic science degree are the following:
- Crime scenes
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Evidence expert testimony
- Criminal procedures
Evidence like tool marks left at an incursion scene, hair discovered after a kidnapping, or gunshot casings left after a homicide can all be used to help solve crimes. With technology that wasn’t available a few years ago, forensic science creates proof that wins court cases. Police and forensic experts can use trace evidence to revive cases that have been closed for many years.
What Makes this Program Unique:
Internships play a significant role in the forensic science curriculum. Internships in forensic science provide students with the hands-on laboratory experience and practical knowledge required for jobs in this profession. Students in this degree have had the opportunity to collaborate with the LaGrange County Sheriff’s Office to explore the distinctions between sawed-off shotguns and common firearms, help the crime scene unit look into suspicious deaths, and look into arson.
Did You Know?
You will be prepared for multiple careers as well as graduate school with a Bachelor of Science in forensic science. Among its graduates are latent print examiners, arson investigators, DNA specialists, and drug chemists. It was even possible for one graduate to study nuclear forensics.
Courses in an Online Bachelor’s in Forensic Science
Introduction to Forensic Science
The fundamentals of forensic science are taught to students in this course. Students gain general investigative abilities and knowledge of the field’s history via lectures, laying the groundwork for further study.
Clinical Laboratory Methods
Clinical Laboratory Methods’ goal is to give students a fundamental grasp of laboratory procedures and safety measures for handling, preserving, processing, and safely analyzing clinical samples and specimens.
Introduction to Criminal Justice
Students are introduced to the American criminal justice system in this course. This also covers police, courts, and prisons. Students are introduced to criminal justice ethics, criminal justice philosophy, and regulatory bodies in this subject.
Principles of Chemistry
This course’s goal is to give an overview of general chemistry with a focus on using chemical principles to analyze chemical data quantitatively. Forensic science needs chemistry aspects so this course will be valuable to students.
Law and Criminal Evidence
In this course, the philosophy and legal foundation of evidence is examined, particularly in light of constitutional and procedural requirements. It teaches students how to gather proof, evaluate scientific data, and get ready for court cases.
Criminal Evidence and Judicial Process
In the framework of legal processes, the criminal evidence and judicial process course examines forensic and physical evidence as well as pertinent laws and procedures.
Forensic Chemistry
Students learn how to practice chemical forensics in this forensic chemistry course. The course includes lectures on forensic toxicology, materials analysis, controlled substance testing, and chemical separation procedures. The training frequently includes a lab component.
Research Statistics
Research is an integral part of forensic science. Topics covered in the course pertain to data analysis, statistical computing, measures of association, and hypothesis testing.
Top Skills Necessary for Forensic Science Graduates
Evidence analysis
Any information or item presented to judges and juries as evidence is taken into account when they hear a case. The ability to examine digital, molecular, biological, and chemical components of criminal evidence is crucial for forensic scientists. Before drawing any conclusions about the criminal evidence, the investigator may go into every scenario and rule out less plausible options.
Analytical Procedures
The financial information given in financial statements is accessed by the auditor, who then assesses it while taking into account how closely related it is to other financial and nonfinancial information. In these instances, forensic scientists should be equipped with analytical procedure skills.
Science and Mathematics
Forensic scientists use information from other disciplines, like physics and mathematics, to aid in their technical analysis. Throughout a criminal investigation, they may employ a variety of scientific approaches to address and respond to questions. On the other hand, they might utilize math to understand information and find solutions to issues. Strong mathematical skills are required for forensic scientists to use numerical data to infer events from the evidence.
Laboratory Information Management System
Forensic scientists should be adept at Laboratory Information Management Systems. These software programs support contemporary laboratory operations while increasing productivity and efficiency. In order to maintain testing and reporting workflows and standards, they are made to handle the difficulties of keeping data and samples, automating laboratory procedures, and regulating laboratories globally.
Time management
Because some pieces of evidence are time-sensitive, gathering and keeping them safe is essential to solving a case. It’s possible that other professionals involved in the investigation will use forensic scientists’ conclusions to carry out their tasks. This makes time management and following a timetable crucial abilities.
Possible Jobs for Online Bachelor’s in Forensic Science Graduates
Forensic Science Technician
Technicians in forensic science gather and examine evidence for criminal investigations. Forensic science technicians usually perform fingerprint or DNA analysis. To evaluate evidence, the technicians frequently go to crime sites and labs. You can work in different agencies like crime labs or police departments with this role.
Forensics manager
A forensics manager’s responsibility is to direct the actions that assist with criminal investigations. Planning, leading, and organizing forensic science efforts within crime labs or other forensics organizations may be among their duties.
Biological Technician
Biological technicians are employed by laboratories to help scientists in their research. Data models and analyses are carried out with the aid of specialist software, lab tools, and tests. These technicians must also write summaries of the results in reports. They help scientists working in the biological and medicinal domains.
Forensic investigator
Crime scenes must be looked into by forensic evidence investigators. The police may take pictures of the crime scene, gather evidence samples, and analyze it in a lab. After examining the evidence, they draw conclusions regarding the specifics of the crime.
Chemical Technician
Chemical technicians work alongside and aid chemical engineers and chemists in their work. They usually have to set up the lab equipment, make the chemical solutions, test the chemical products, and record their results. Chemical technicians are employed by laboratories and manufacturing facilities to conduct research and assess production methods in chemical and pharmaceutical plants.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the salary of a forensic scientist?
A forensic scientist in the United States makes about $65,174 per year on average. However, there can be different ranges based on different states and locations. Moreover, there are other factors that determine salary such as experience, education, and specialties. In their laboratories, forensic scientists gather and examine data gathered by crime scene investigators. If you obtain additional credentials, it is a terrific method to expand your earning potential and improve your chances of landing a job.
What does a forensic scientist do?
Forensic scientists employ clinical laboratory studies for investigative work in legal and law enforcement processes. Most forensic scientists are employed by medical laboratories. Due to the technical complexity of their work, forensic scientists typically specialize in a particular area of knowledge. Forensic investigation work specialties, such as the work of a crime scene investigator, include reviewing DNA evidence, offering proof for toxicology and drug reports, evaluating fingerprints, and assessing weapons or ballistics evidence.
What is the best Forensic Science degree?
Degrees in Chemistry, Biology, or even Physics can be useful for aspiring forensic scientists. Online Forensic Science degrees with such specializations can also help you develop your job. This scientific expertise is coupled with coursework specifically linked to forensic science in a forensic science curriculum.
Summary Points
- Criminal investigations are guided by scientific principles in the field of Forensic Science. A forensic scientist examines DNA, bodily fluids, and fingerprints to arrive at conclusions.
- The work of forensic scientists helps investigators and is acknowledged in court hearings and other pieces of evidence. It is essential to solving crimes. Nevertheless, some forensic investigations might also be relevant in civil cases with physical science-related components.
- Through internships and field practicums, students can gain hands-on learning experience in forensic science.
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